Last night, Huang Chen hosted a dinner for Xu Zhengyang, his sister Xu Rouyue, Ouyang Ying, and Diao Yishi in a private room at the Jinma Hotel. During the dinner, Huang Chen sincerely apologized and said that in the future, Xu Rouyue would be like his own sister in Beijing. He also said that if Xu Rouyue suffered any grievances, Xu Zhengyang would not need to bother him; he would personally apologize to her.
After the banquet, Ouyang Ying and Xu Rouyue left first. Xu Zhengyang and his group, still in high spirits, went to the Triumph Nightclub and sang and drank in a private room. If it weren't for Xu Zhengyang's strong will and thin skin, he might have lost his virginity under the instigation of the mohawk-haired guy and Huang Chen.
In the midst of their revelry, the group went to the dance floor and danced around for a while.
They were all red-faced and thick-necked, putting their arms around each other's shoulders and calling each other brothers, as intimate as if they were born of the same mother.
Having never experienced such a luxurious and passionate life, Xu Zhengyang's inner youthful restlessness was completely ignited. Especially after drinking, he couldn't control himself and joined a few experts in this field for a wild and unrestrained time.
I slept until after 10 a.m. before we finally made arrangements to drive to the Badaling Great Wall at Juyongguan.
When Xu Zhengyang stood atop the Great Wall, gazing at the distant blue sky and white clouds, and the undulating mountains, he was filled with countless emotions.
If it weren't for having a divine position, I don't know how long I would have to work hard in this life to be able to swagger around in the capital, play around and cause trouble as I please, and have a group of rich young men calling me brother, even fawning over me with a hint of obsequiousness.
Out of the corner of his eye, Xu Zhengyang glanced at Yu Xuan and his group, who were chatting and laughing in the distance. No matter how familiar they were, they weren't from the same social circle! Xu Zhengyang suddenly regretted his outburst of arrogance when he met Jiang Lan at "Huatong Network Technology Co., Ltd." that day, where he had forcefully suppressed her in a confrontational manner. At that time, he was deeply dissatisfied with Jiang Lan's disdainful, arrogant, and forceful attitude; he felt his self-esteem had been challenged and hurt, so he wanted to retaliate and win.
However, just two days later, he had a completely different thought.
Self-esteem? What is self-esteem? It is the heart that respects oneself.
In this realistic society, no one cares about your self-esteem; people only care about your achievements. So when you haven't achieved anything, don't constantly bring up your self-esteem in front of others. That only shows that you are insecure and trying to hide it.
Put away your pride, respect yourself, and prove yourself with reality. When others see your achievements, they will respect you. Naturally, your pride will no longer be challenged or hurt by others, and you will be fearless. All pretentious pride is nonsense; it only devalues your self-esteem, making it increasingly cheap. It only tells others that you lack confidence and respect yourself...
A big fist is a hard fist; that's the hard truth! This fist represents reality.
Just like now...
Yu Xuan, Huang Chen, Rooster Head, Diao Yishi—who would underestimate themselves?
Who dares?
So that day at Huatong Network Technology Co., Ltd., in that head-to-head confrontation with Jiang Lan, I seemed to have the upper hand, but in reality... I seemed to have lost completely!
Xu Zhengyang sighed, lit a cigarette, and squinted, feeling the refreshing breeze blowing from the mountains. His turbulent emotions finally calmed down. What was that quote Li Bingjie had given him again? Xu Zhengyang frowned, then relaxed.
—A restless mind is like flowing water, unable to find peace; a calm mind is like a towering mountain, unmoving.
From now on, I will no longer be ordinary; from now on, I will cherish the memories of the ordinary.
Xu Zhengyang's expression remained calm, his narrowed eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.
Even if one ascends to a divine position, possesses divine powers, and can do things that no one else in the world can, so what? One cannot be arrogant or complacent. In the end, I am still a human being, because I have a family, relatives, and friends—people I cannot sever ties with. Therefore, while ensuring the safety of myself and my family and friends, it is necessary to consciously restrain my influence, maintain a low profile, and avoid doing anything that would astound others.
For example, this attempt to deal with Huang Chen in Beijing is a bit too far-fetched and could easily cause trouble.
It's not that I'm giving up my role as a god, but rather... I'm choosing to keep a low profile!
The Earth God, the Chief Clerk, and Xu Zhengyang are two different things.
I miss Li Bingjie a little. If Li Bingjie were here right now, even if she didn't say anything, just the two of us standing quietly on the Great Wall, gazing at the blue sky, white clouds, and rolling mountains in the distance, would create a unique atmosphere!
Suddenly, she felt someone beside her and saw a pair of delicate hands gently resting on the city wall.
Xu Zhengyang's heart skipped a beat. He turned his head and saw Li Bingjie dressed in white, her skirt fluttering in the breeze, her long, ink-black hair dancing in the wind. She looked like a celestial being descended to earth, unlike any ordinary person. She was pure and serene, without a trace of worldly dust, making it impossible for anyone to look at her with worldly eyes and desecrate her.
Xu Zhengyang glanced around and saw Yu Xuan and Huang Chen looking in their direction from a distance. None of their expressions betrayed the lewdness often associated with seeing beautiful women; not even their eyes held a trace of lust. Instead, there was only amazement, admiration, and appreciation…
“I went to look for you. I heard you came to the Badaling Great Wall, so I came here.”
Li Chengzhong stepped forward and explained softly.
"Oh." Xu Zhengyang nodded.
Li Chengzong stepped back a few meters and stood there calmly, like an ordinary person who was resting after a long day of sightseeing and taking in the surrounding scenery. If someone were to look closely at him, they would notice that his eyes were constantly observing the actions of everyone around him, even their expressions and glances.
A gentle mountain breeze caressed my face, refreshing and pleasant.
The view is breathtaking, with towering mountains and undulating peaks, their verdant hues contrasting beautifully with the azure sky and white clouds.
Xu Zhengyang lit another cigarette, took two puffs, and said softly, "I'm not angry."
"I'm not angry either." The reply came quickly.
Xu Zhengyang suddenly turned his head to look at Li Bingjie, only to find that she was not looking at him at all. She was still indifferent and aloof, her eyes empty and devoid of any emotion as she stared into the distance.
Why don't you usually talk?
"I don't want to talk about it."
Xu Zhengyang sighed and said, "Actually... I can definitely do it, to understand you more thoroughly. Well, to put it simply, I can enter your subconscious and uncover all your deepest memories, as well as your thoughts and feelings..."
Li Bingjie tilted her head slightly, glanced at Xu Zhengyang with her ethereal and indifferent eyes, then turned her head back to continue looking at the scenery.
“I didn’t do that,” Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
"Um."
Xu Zhengyang whistled smugly and said, "Bingjie, your mom said I can't have any other thoughts about you, um, that is, don't even think about a toad eating swan meat, or marrying you as my wife... What should I do?"
Li Bingjie remained silent.
"Hehe." Xu Zhengyang scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed himself. He really wouldn't have been able to bring himself to make such a joke with any other girl. So, he was inwardly criticizing himself for teasing the quiet, obedient, and almost obnoxious Li Bingjie. But this feeling was great! So, he brazenly continued, "If I were as rich as your mother—well, I mean, one day I could drive a donkey cart loaded with banknotes to your house and tell your mother, 'Well, I'll buy your company!'"
"Hmm, won't she be surprised?"
"Then I continued, I want to marry Li Bingjie... Will she agree?"
"I wouldn't be happy about that. Bringing home a wooden stump would be so boring! Oh, that's not a good analogy. It should be like marrying a snow lotus. She's absolutely beautiful, but she's only good for admiring. It's like putting a painting on the wall. How dull that would be..."
...
Xu Zhengyang blushed and said awkwardly, "I was just kidding."
"I know."
"Don't get angry."
"Um."
"You're doing just fine..."
So Li Bingjie fell silent again.
"What are you thinking about all day when you don't say a word?"
"Thinking about people? Or thinking about things?"
Why are you silent again?
...
Standing a few meters away, Li Chengzong clenched his fists so tightly they cracked, his teeth clenched, but he still restrained his impulse to rush forward and beat Xu Zhengyang. Soon, his violent eyes gradually returned to calm, and even a trace of joy and hope appeared.
After a long while, Li Bingjie suddenly said to herself, "I miss people."
"Thinking of whom?" Xu Zhengyang was taken aback, then laughed, "You wouldn't be thinking of me, would you?"
"No." The answer was straightforward, without giving Xu Zhengyang any face.
Who is that?
After a moment of silence, Li Bingjie suddenly said, "Grandma."
Xu Zhengyang suddenly noticed that on Li Bingjie's exquisitely beautiful face, as radiant as a lotus flower, two crystal-clear tears were flowing from her clear, indifferent, and ethereal eyes...
The tears dried quickly in the wind, leaving not even a trace on that stunningly beautiful face.
Xu Zhengyang was stunned for a while before he came to his senses and quickly changed the subject, saying, "I have some things to do when I get back. Oh, maybe everything is already taken care of, haha."
"Hmm, I still have other things to do..."
"Now that the shop is open, the area I have to manage has expanded, and I'm going to be very busy!"
"I can tell you're really forcing yourself to talk to me today!"
...
"I'm going back now," Li Bingjie suddenly said.
"Well, I should go back too."
Li Bingjie turned around and gently walked back along the Great Wall.
"Hey, you guys keep having fun, I'm going back!" Xu Zhengyang called out to Huang Chen and the others who were watching him and whispering in the distance.
"Okay, let's go!" The group agreed and walked over.
"You guys play a little longer," Xu Zhengyang called out.
The group paused for a moment, then Yu Xuan smiled and waved, replying, "Then you go ahead, we won't bother you any longer."
Xu Zhengyang's face flushed slightly, and he quickly turned to follow Li Bingjie. Fortunately, his face was already tanned a dark red, so his shyness wasn't noticeable.
After descending the Great Wall, we got into an Audi A8, and the car drove out of the tourist area and onto the highway.
Li Chengzong said, "Should we go back and tell your sister?"
"Huh?" Xu Zhengyang was taken aback for a moment before realizing that Li Bingjie meant going back to Fuhe City when she said "go back"! After a slight hesitation, he said, "No need, I'll call her in a bit."
Li Chengzong nodded, and the Audi A8 accelerated.
The highway winds its way through the mountains, sometimes with bridges, sometimes with tunnels, turning natural barriers into thoroughfares!
Volume Two, Gong Cao, Chapter 61: One Must Not Speak of Strange Powers, Chaos, or Spirits
As the saying goes, "Water that is too clear has no fish."
People live in the muddy waters of this vast world, drifting aimlessly. They try to float to the clear waters, only to find that those areas have already been taken over by other fish that are more deserving of the clear water. Even if they are lucky enough to surface and breathe in some fresh air, they are forced, or rather, unwillingly, to dive back into the water and continue their self-righteous lives in the muddy waters.
This is a real world where people live within established legal frameworks, social norms, and unspoken rules—in short, all sorts of tangible and intangible constraints. Similarly, people must bear the consequences of human selfishness, which leads to many unfair things happening around them or to them.
Discontent and indignation cannot break this distorted, somewhat vague balance.
However, when a mysterious, bizarre, inconceivable, invisible and intangible magical force suddenly intervenes in the real human world, the course of some things will completely deviate from everyone's expectations, at least... making it unbelievable.
For example, in the case of Chen Chaojiang and Liu Bin's malicious assault two years ago, almost everyone in the Fuhe Municipal Government and the public security, procuratorate, and judicial departments did not want to reopen the case. Under pressure from some people below, they only wanted to go through the motions and get by as a routine matter. What no one expected was that the parties involved, namely the victim Guo Tian, along with Guo Tian's father Guo Haigang, the former director of the Futou Town Police Station Shen Qun, and their relatives, actually took the initiative to come to the relevant departments and confessed to abusing their power for personal gain, retaliating against Chen Chaojiang and Liu Bin, bribing certain personnel in the public security, procuratorate, and judicial departments, and framing Chen Chaojiang and Liu Bin...
Without Chen Chaojiang and Liu Bin needing to state anything about the appeal, the case underwent a qualitative change.
Following the previous case of Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao stealing and robbing Haigang Construction Company's property, the Fuxin District Public Security Bureau and the court in Fuhe City were once again shaken. The director of the Fuhe City Public Security Bureau was furious, and the mayor and the party secretary of the city government personally intervened in the case.
What cannot be changed is that this case, which was already a foregone conclusion, must be overturned.
Regardless of whether Chen Chaojiang and Liu Bin acted in excessive self-defense and should bear corresponding legal responsibility, the very issue of how this case is characterized is enough to utterly humiliate the government and the public security, procuratorial, and judicial departments.
How can the government maintain a good image among the people without making some compensation or taking some concrete actions?